shaked – when you factor in how many times I write something, and readers post that I’m wrong, and an idiot, etc., I don’t think it’s a crime for me to point out that I was right when something comes true.

Steve,

As I said, I think it’s the patting yourself on the back thing that rubs people the wrong way. Any time you reference a post, I already know what it says because I’ve read most of them. I used to agree with you all the time. I would think, “yeah, he’s got a great point that not many other people saw.” Now I feel like there’s some sort of agenda. A post isn’t just a post. It’s something so 6 months later you can reference it when it “comes true.”

And no, I don’t think you get credit for taking someone else’s idea and agreeing with it. I tried that in college once. I got an F.

For the last 6 months or so (at least), I feel like you are genuinely disappointed when something goes well. I don’t know how it happened, but everything I read that should be considered “positive” sounds forced. I’m always waiting for the “but I was right” or the jab at Cash/Hughes/whoever else.

Basura – FWIW, I’m not saying that Clippard is a lock. But, he has hope. Which is more than I can say for what we traded him for…that’s all.

MJ – Hey, we’re cool. I don’t expect everyone to agree with me. All I want is for people to agree that it’s OK to disagree with each other. I’m down with that. But, I don’t always feel that from some posters here…very often it’s “I disagree with Steve…therefore he’s wrong and he’s an idiot.”

Wish is was not so…but, I get that a lot. And, that’s not being very fair.

Don’t I get credit for being right in the sense that I agreed with the people who were right (in the end) at the time the trade was made?

===============

Nope. As you mentioned, Clippard’s 2007 wasn’t so hotsy-totsy and his 2008 hasn’t done much to improve people’s opinion of him. I know that you advocated trading Clippard for Joe Nathan last winter ( I believe you mentioned you’d even be willing to include Clippard reluctantly) but I suggest you might want to reconsider YOUR opinion of Clippard.

By the way, just because a “rookie” book from 2006 said he might become Brad Radke it doesn’t mean it will happen. I have a yearbook from the early 1960’s emphatically pushing Jerry Kenney as the next bee’s knees. I’m still waiting.

Steve, you know I love you. I read your blog multiple times a day and I’ve been to some ballgames with you and had a great time. None of this is personal so you should know that I’m never attacking YOU, only your opinions/viewpoints.

On this, I guess I’ll say this: yes, you’re consistent in that you hate Cashman and see everything from a “he sucks” vantage point. What is inconsistent is your selective application of “the experts.” You use them to support your claim and demand that if the experts said it (when you agree) then it must be true. But when the experts don’t agree with you, you poo-poo the experts and bring up all sorts of examples of when they’re wrong.

No expert is right all of the time, just like no GM is right all of the time. I think that’s what I’ve been saying consistently for the better part of a year. We simply agree to disagree on this very broad issue.

Have a great weekend, bud.

MJ – I disagree. I’m 100% consistent in that every time I give my opinion on something, it’s my opinion. Sometimes I agree with “the experts” and sometimes I do not. Sometimes it’s based on stats and other times it’s based on feel. But, in any event, it’s always my opinion. And, that’s what you get from me here – every time. How’s that for consistency?

It’s comical that you’d use BA and Sickels to support your claim on Clippard but won’t do the same when talking about Phil Hughes.

When you begin with the premise that every move Cashman makes is a bad one then it’s pretty hard to remain objective on any of the players he brings in. Consequently, the Albaladejo move was a bad one because Cashman made it. Never mind the fact that Clippard was nothing special. But had Clippard not been traded, and then used to replace IPK in the rotation this year, I’m sure you’d bash Cashman for letting filler-quality stuff like Clippard when the Yanks could’ve signed Lohse to a four-year contract.

There’s no consistency with you, Steve.

~~~I just don’t get it. Because BA or BP said Clippard is good (he isn’t) and Albaladejo is bad, by quoting them in an article, you’re correct when he goes down?~~~

Don’t I get credit for being right in the sense that I agreed with the people who were right (in the end) at the time the trade was made?

Just another relief pitcher ruined by Joe…….